Toilet paper holder



March 1956 c. A. ANDERSON TOILET PAPER HOLDER Filed May 20, 1952 fizz/672707" CwzrczdAJl naersorz,

United States Patent TOILET PAPER HOLDER Conrad A. Anderson, Chicago, Ill. Application May 20, 1952, Serial No. 288,939 Claims. (Cl. 299-24) The invention relates generally to paper holders, and more particularly to a holder for a roll of paper such as toilet paper.

The invention has among its objects the production of a holder for toilet paper and the like which may be extremely simple in construction, utilizing a minimum number of separable elements, and which is very durable in construction and presents a neat appearance.

Another object of the invention is the production of such a holder which is so designed that it is substantially universal in its application to mounting objects, as for example, a toilet bowl or similar object, so that it may be utilized on substantially all types of toilet structures, at the same time enabling the positioning of the roll of paper at the most convenient location.

'A further object of the invention is the production of such a holder which is so designed that a replaceable deodorizing element may be readily utilized therewith.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a paper holder embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the connection between the paper roll-carrying structure and the supporting arm or member illustrating the pivotal adjustment therebetween;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a paper holding structure illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 1 indicates generally a U-shaped member formed from strip material and bent to provide a pair of parallelly extending leg portions 2 connected by an intermediate portion 3. Each of the leg portions 2 is provided with an outwardly inclined slot 4 therein, the slots 4 being similarly positioned and extending to the adjacent edge 5 of each respective leg 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the member 6, which is adapted to carry a roll of paper such as toilet paper (such a roll P being indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2), is constructed of suitable wire material and formed into a cylindrically-shaped helix or coil, thus forming a generally cylindrical member which may be inserted in the central bore B of such a roll of paper. The free ends 7 of the wire forming the member 6 are bent or formed radially inward to the axis of the member, with the free ends 8 thereof being bent or formed into an axial position to form journals or trunnions which may be positioned in the respective slots 4 in the leg portions 20f the member 1,-with the member 6, and a roll Patented Mar. 27, 1956 of paper carried thereby, being rotatable about the axis of the member 6.

The leg portions 2 of the member 1 are provided with respective aligned vertically positioned slots 9, the latter being located in the intermediate portions of the legs of the member 1 between the slots 4 and the connecting portion 3. Positioned above the member 6 and extending between the leg portions 2 is a generally cylindrical roller element 11 constructed of metal or other suitable material and being provided at its respective ends with the axially positioned extensions 12, each positioned in a respective slot 9 and cooperating therewith to guide the roller element 11 for vertical movement. Each of the extensions 12 terminates in a head 13 which is larger in diameter than the width of the slots 9, operative to prevent removal of the roller from the respective slots. The roller 11, which is preferably made of relatively heavy material, is adapted to rest on the roll of paper P, thus facilitating removal of the paper from the roll without crumpling the same as well as acting as a brake or retarding means to prevent the roll from spinning and thus unwinding an undesired amount of paper therefrom.

Connected to the member 1 is a supporting member indicated generally by the numeral 14 illustrated in the present embodiment of the invention as being formed from strip material similar to that comprising the member 1, the member 14 being formed to provide a pair of terminal portions 15 and 16 extending in substantially parallel planes and connected by an intermediate portion 17 which in the embodiment of the invention illustrated extends angularly between the portions 15 and 16. The terminal portion 15 is operatively connected to the intermediate portion 3 of the member 1 by a shouldered rivet 18 which is rigidly secured at the end 19 thereof to the portion 3, thus forming a pivotal connection between the latter and the end 15 of the supporting member or arm 14. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, cooperable detent means is provided between the portion 3 and the end 15, such means in the embodiment of the invention illustrated comprising a pair of projections 21 positioned substantially apart and extending outwardly from the portion 3 toward the end 15 of the member 14, such projections being formed by stamping or otherwise deforming the metal of the portion 3. The end portion 15 of the member 14 is provided with a plurality of pairs of recesses or indentations 22, the indentations of each pair being positioned 180 apart and on the same radius as the projections 21, and are thus cooperable with such projections to provide detent means for normally maintaining the intermediate portion 3 of the member 1 in any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, depending upon the number or pairs of indentations 22 and the relative locations of the @respective pairs. The detent means is normally maintained in interlocking relationship by suitable means such as a spring Washer 23 interposed between the outer face of the end portion 15 and the inner face of the head 24 of the rivet 18. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 3, four pairs of recesses 22 are employed, enabling the member 1 to be positioned at four different angles with respect to the supporting member or arm 14, and in each of such positions the member 1 may be reversed to position the slots 4 along either of the side edges of the supporting arm 14. It will be apparent that the slots 4 are preferably positioned rearwardly with respect to the object on which the device is to be mounted so that in drawing paper from the roll, any force applied to the latter will tend to urge the roll and the roll holder 6 down into the slots 4 rather than in a direction to draw it out of the slots. Consequently, as the member 1 may be rotated through 180 in any one of its angular positions relative to the arm 14, the holder may be employed at either the right side or the left'side of the object supporting the same,

and in either case may be positioned at the desired angular relation with respect to the arm 14 to facilitate utilization of the device.

In mounting the device to the supporting object, the terminal end 16 of the arm 14 may be provided with an aperture therein through which may extend a suitable bolt 25 which, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, may comprise one of the mounting bolts for the toilet seat structure,

etc., the arm 14- being locked in place by a suitable nut 26.

Positioned in the roll holder 6 is a cylindrical block 27 composed of a material having suitable deodorizing properties, the block 27 having a longitudinally extending slot or channel 28 in its peripheral surface of a size to receive one of the end portions 7 of the holder 6, thus permitting the block to be inserted in the holder 6. Many diiterent deodorizing materials of the type which would be employed for the block 27 are available on the open market, and normally such materials evaporate in use. Consequently, the deodorizing block may be readily replaced upon consumption.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 5, the roller elemet 11 is constructed in the form of a helically wound wire structure, the ends of which may be carried by retaining cup-like members 2? having axially extending projections 31 positioned in the slots 9 of the member 1. In this construction, the hollow member 11' is adapted to receive a suitable cylindrical block 27 of deodorizing material. The spring material comprising the member 11' may be preferably wound with adjacent turns being positioned relatively close together, but at the same time leaving sufiicient space to permit contraction of the member 11 and disengagement of one of the cup members 29 and extension 31 from the adjacent slot 9 in the member l. The cup member 29 may then be removed and a fresh deodorizing block inserted into the member 11, following which the structure is reassembled.

It will be noted from the above description that l have provided a sim le, efficient and durable holder for roll paper such as toilet paper, which is so designed that it may be readily mounted on substantially.any type of standard toilet structure or other supporting object and readily adjusted to the most desirable position for use. It will also be noted that in the construction illustrated in Fig. l, the only separable element is the paper supporting member 6, the adjustable structure being achieved without the use of separable parts and substantially concealed. It will also be noted that I have provided a novel structure incorporating a replaceable deodorizing block which is positioned in close proximity to the paper and to the supporting object in connection with which it is to be used.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a holder for toilet paper and the like, the combination of an inverted U-shaped member formed from strip material, having a pair of spaced substantially parallel leg portions and an intermediate connecting portion, said leg portions having respective aligned angularly extending slots therein adjacent the free end thereof, the respective slots being inclined upwardly and outwardly and extending to the adiacent edges of the respective portions, a generally cylindrical member of a size to be illserted in and support a roll of paper, said member having aligned axially extending trunnions at each end thereof of a size to enter said slots and be supported from said U-shaped member, said leg portions having aligned longitudinally extending slots therein located in the intermediate portions of said legs, a roller element having portions extending into said longitudinal slots and cooperat ing therewith to guide said roller element for movement in a vertical plane, a supporting member, formed from similar strip material, having substantially parallel ter' minal sections and an intermediate connecting section, one of said terminal sections being operatively connected to the intermediate portion of said 'U-shaped member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, cooperable detent means on such terminal section and said intermediate portion for normally maintaining the U shaped and supporting members in any one of a plurality of relative posi tions, and means on the other terminal section of said supporting member for mounting the same on a supporting object.

2. in a holder for toilet paper and the like, the combination of an inverted U-shaped member formed from strip material, having a pair of spaced substantially parallel leg portions and an intermediate connecting portion, said leg portions having respective aligned angularly extending slots therein adjacent the free end thereof, the respective slots being inclined upwardly and outwardly and extending to the adjacent edges of the respective portions, a generally cylindrical member of a size to be inserted in and support a roll of paper, said member having aligned axially extending trunnions at each end thereof of a size to enter said slots and be supported from said U-shaped member, a supporting member, formed from strip material, having substantially parallel terminal sec-. tions and an intermediate connecting section, one of said terminal sections being operatively connected to the intermediate portion of said U-shaped member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, cooperable detent means on such terminal section and said intermediate portion for normally maintaining the U-shaped and supporting members in any one of a plurality of relative positions, and means on the other terminal section of said supporting member for mounting the same on a supporting object.

3. In a holder for toilet paper and the like, the combination of an inverted U-shaped member formed from strip material, having a pair of spaced substantially parallel leg portions and an intermediate connecting portion,

, means whereby a paper roll may be supported between said leg portions, a supporting member, formed from strip material being operatively connected to the intermediate portion of said U-shaped member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, complementally formed latching means on said intermediate connecting portion and said supporting member for normally mounting the U- shaped and supporting members in any one of a plurality of relative positions and means on the other terminal section of said supporting member for mounting the same on a supporting object. I

4. In a holder for toilet paper and the like, the combination of an inverted U-shaped member formed from strip material, having a pair of spaced substantially parallel leg portions and an intermediate connecting portion, means whereby a paper roll may be supported between said leg portions, said leg portions having aligned longitudinally extending slots therein located in the intermediate portions of said legs, a roller element having portions extending into said longitudinal slots and cooperating therewith to guide said roller element for movement in a vertical plane, a supporting member, formed from strip material, having substantially parallel terminal sections and an intermediate connecting section, one end of said supporting member being operatively connected to the intermediate portion of said U-shaped member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, cooperable detent means on such terminal section and said intermediate portion for normally maintaining the U-shaped and supporting members in any one of a plurality of relative positions, and means on the other terminal section of said supporting member for mounting the same on a supporting object.

5. In a holder for toilet paper and the like, the combination of an inverted U-shaped member formed from strip material, having a pair of spaced substantially parallel leg portions and an intermediate connecting portion, said leg portions having respective aligned angularly extending slots therein adjacent the free end thereof, the respective slots being inclined upwardly and outwardly and extending to the adjacent edges of the respective portions, a generally cylindrical member of a size to be inserted in and support a roll of paper, said member having aligned axially extending trunnions at each end thereof of a size to enter said slots and be supported from said U-shaped member, said leg portions having aligned longitudinally extending slots therein located in the intermediate portions of said legs, a cylindrical roller member having portions extending into said longitudinal slots and cooperating therewith to guide said roller element for movement in a vertical plane, a supporting member, formed from similar strip material, having substantially parallel terminal sections and an intermediate connecting section, one of said terminal sections being operatively connected to the intermediate portion of said U-shaped member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, and means on the other terminal section of said supporting member for mounting the same on a supporting object, one of said cylindrical members being hollow and formed 6 as a helically wound coil, providing a chamber for deodorizing material, and a cylindrical block of deodorizing material positioned in such chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 649,062 Levett et al. May 8, 1900 1,113,007 Hauge Oct. 6, 1914 1,182,072 Bodersick May 9, 1916 1,504,382 Riley Aug. 12, 1924 1,552,082 Riley Sept. 1, 1925 1,683,792 Naumburg Sept. 11, 1928 2,141,314 Pfieger et a1 Dec. 27, 1938 2,244,804 Robinson June 10, 1941 2,293,785 Wintz Aug. 25, 1942 2,351,267 Irwin June 13, 1944 2,650,773 Fanning Sept. 1, 1953 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 432,381 Great Britain July 25, 1935 603,596 Great Britain June 18, 1948 

